Alcázar of Guadalajara, Medieval palace fortress in Guadalajara, Spain.
The Alcázar of Guadalajara is a medieval palace fortress that occupies more than one hectare at the western edge of the city, overlooking a ravine that gazes upon the Henares river valley. The structure displays traces of four distinct construction phases spanning several centuries.
The structure was first built as a Muslim fortress in the 9th century and became a royal residence after its capture by Christian forces in 1085 under Alfonso VI. The following centuries brought further construction changes that reflected the shifting political power and cultural influences of the time.
The 14th-century transformations converted the military fortress into a mudéjar-inspired palace, incorporating architectural elements that resemble those in Córdoba and Seville. This blend reflects the cultural interweaving that developed in the region during that period.
The site is accessible today through ongoing archaeological work that began in 1998 and continues to reveal artifacts and structural elements from the various construction periods. Visitors should be prepared that excavations are still underway and the grounds remain partially undeveloped.
After its period as a royal seat, the structure was repurposed and later served as a cotton factory and military barracks before falling into its current condition. This industrial and military past shaped the site in surprising ways.
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